Rosette Taichou
by Sakura Taichou
Summary: A slight crossover with Naruto featuring one character, by now I'm sure you've guessed right, and the mention of one to three other characters.  This story takes place after Aizen's defeat.
1. Introduction, Koki No Yabi

"This meeting is called to order." Genryuusai-soutaichou said, seating himself at the head of the hall, captains' coat draped across his shoulders. He faced the other Taichou's lined up in two rows before him. Even numbered captains stood to his right while the uneven numbered captains stood to his left; obvious gaps in the uneven number line showed where the traitorous captains Ichimaru Gin, Tousen Kaname and Aizen Sosuke once stood. He sighed and spoke. "We're here to discuss the seat vacancies of 3rd, 5th and 9th. Have you any suggestions?"

To the surprise of the others, Byakuya spoke up.

"Abarai Renji-fukutaichou." He did not open his eyes nor look up.

Genryuusai grunted.

"And your reasoning?"

"He has achieved Bankai." Genryuusai nodded, and then shifted his attention to the other taichous.

"Have any of you any objections? Anyone second him?"

Mayuri Kurotsuchi-taichou scoffed.

"He may have mastered the final release of his zanpak-to, but that does not automatically make him taichou material. He is hot tempered and his loyalty is shaky." He looked at the other taichous. "He assisted the ryoka invasion, remember? I would not trust him in such a powerful position."

Zaraki shot him a look that basically called Mayuri 'shit face'.

"Che, what do you know about loyalty? You'd turn us all into lab rats if you could get away wid' it. And powerful position? Could say the same o' ya couldn' we?" Mayuri glared at him with his freakish yellow eyes, lipless mouth snarling. Unohana's gentle eyes looked from the captain-general to the arguing men.

"We are not here to discuss our inner disputes; we are here to determine who will become our fellow taichous. If you two would," She smiled at them, "Be silent."

Both men stilled, before looking away from one another. None dare try Unohana.

Genryuusai mentally shuddered at the thought of an angry Unohana and cleared his throat, waiting for more opinions.

"I second Byakuya's choice." Said Ukitake nodding at his former student. "Renji would be ideal as a taichou. He's affable, confident and his power is nothing to scoff at. And regarding any of the duties he would be coming into, his fukutaichou would be able to assist him until he can stand on his own feet." Unohana and Komamura nodded in agreement. Komamura looked at the captain-general.

"I concur. I vote with Byakuya."

"As do I." Unohana said.

"I vote with Byakuya." Spoke up the second captain, Soi Fon.

"Ditto." Said Zaraki.

"If Jyuu-chan will vouch for him, so will I." Kyouraku stated lazily beneath the rim of his straw hat, his smile crooked with inner mirth.

Genryuusai nodded to them, banging his staff on the wooden floor.

"Very well. Seven captains have cast their support for him, as the rules of the shinigami state, he is now accepted as a taichou. The only question left is which division he will take." A few of the captains looked at each other. It was Shunsui who answered.

"He is friends with Hinamori Momo correct? Perhaps it would be best for him to be with a familiar face. And not to mention the fact that she was the one most betrayed by the traitor Aizen, someone who doesn't judge her based on that would help with healing her emotional wounds."

"Hmm," the captain general pondered it before asking the others, "a reasonable course of action. Any objections?" He waited but no one spoke up. With a grunt he said, "Then it is decided. Abarai-fukutaichou will be taichou of the Fifth Division. Byakuya-taichou, you will need to find a replacement fukutaichou." Byakuya remained unmovable when he answered.

"Hai."

"A hell butterfly has been sent to Abarai, he will be here shortly so that he may join your ranks. Now, we must discuss the other vacancies of third and ninth."

"Madarame Ikkaku."

Heads turned in great surprise to look at Zaraki who was picking at his ear.

"Madarame?" Soi Fon said, bemused. "He is a third seat. He doesn't have the strength to be a captain."

"Che, o' course he does. He's got Bankai." A few pairs of eyes widened in shock. "He makes it out like some big secret but he can't hide it worth a shit; he's got some half baked idear o' loyalty t' me. Plain stupid if ya' ask me." He looked at the old man. "Send 'im a hell butterfly telling him I want him here. No excuses."

"Well, anyone agree with him?"

Soi Fon spoke.

"If he indeed has Bankai, I would like to see it for myself. If he has mastered the final form, I will support him." The other captains nodded in concurrence.

"Very well. If there are no objections he will be taichou; which division will be his?"

Komamura spoke this time.

"He will need a reliable second. One, perhaps, that can handle paperwork." The captains silently reflected on the very real possibility that Ikkaku would skip out on paperwork on a regular basis and nodded to themselves. "Mayhap, third would be best. Izuru is fragile in some ways but has a strong sense of loyalty. He would be reliable in getting the work done. Perhaps, like Abarai to Hinamori, Madarame would be good for Izuru."

"Alright." Genryuusai looked around the room and no one objected. "Then it is decided. Pending the verification of his Bankai's existence, Madarame Ikkaku is taichou of third division."

He dispatched another butterfly before addressing them again. His expression became a little graver and the tension level rose a little more.

"Now, in regards to the last spot open, Ukitake-taichou brought someone to my attention days ago which prompted this meeting to come so soon after the war. The individual in question is something of a quandary for me as they came out of the Rukongai just the day before Ukitake-taichou brought them to me. They have had no formal _or_ informal training at all. The person just said that they would be a captain and would challenge for a place if they had to." He let out a burst of air, like a disgruntled dog before continuing, "Ukitake brought them before me and they made a, very, convincing case." He thumped his cane twice against the floor and the doors began to swing open. "They are here now, the final candidate for taichou."

All of them looked to the doors that were swinging wide, to see the new arrival.

The first thing they noticed was the hair. Pink. Cherry blossom pink. Second were the eyes. Bright solid green, the color of new leaves. A woman in a sleeveless shihakusho walked into the meeting hall, back strait, head held high. She was dainty, damn petite at five-nothing, barely an inch taller than Soi Fon who was the shortest captain which was a bone of contention with the 2nd's captain. The new arrival stopped just before the rows of captains began. She gave a short bow.

"Genryuusai-soutaichou," the old man nodded back to her.

"Identify yourself."

"Hai; Haruno Sakura, Koki no Yabi " Speculation broke out among the captains ranks as they digested the odd title after her name. Oddly enough, Byakuya looked up and kept his gaze on her.

"Hn, and do you know why you were called here today?"

"In general I do." She shrugged at the captains around her, expression stoic. "I gotta 'prove' myself to them." The tone of her voice was proud and arrogant, which, considering how young she sounded and looked made her seem almost petulant. "So, what do I have to do?" Genryuusai stood and his fukutaichou came to his side.

"You will give a demonstration at the Execution Hill and then we will decide what to do with you."


	2. Beloved, Jyuukin No Nejimaru

Hello again. This is chapter two, written (mostly) in the same night. It contains a lot of stuff so enjoy and please don't sacrifice me to the mud god. He only accepts freshmen sacrifices.

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Chapter Two

The captains all arrived in a rush of displaced air, coats swirling around them as the dust settled and they all settled into conversation.

"So, do you think she'll be here soon?" Shunsui asked a slightly smiling Ukitake. The white haired man chuckled.

"No comment." Shunsui raised the brim of his hat to look at his ages old friend.

"Wonderful Jyuu-chan; what are you hiding?" Ukitake waved his comment away, turning to face the others who were waiting.

"Well, what do you think of Sakura-san?"

It was Soi Fon who spoke.

"If she is not here by now or could not have arrived with us, then she shows no promise." Her expression was stern as always, though it was calmer when they selected the other two. "I do not see the point of waiting for her if she cannot even shunpo."

"Well, what if I arrived before you Miss _Commander of the Special Forces_?" Everyone looked to Ukitake who brought up his hands in an 'I surrender' pose. He moved to the left, revealing a very amused woman. Ukitake had his 'I'm just a jovial innocent man who knows nothing' grin on his face.

Soi Fon's eyes were narrow with consideration.

"Then I would consider you both interesting and very dangerous;" She shifted her feet so that she was facing Sakura. "You hid your reiatsu from captain-level shinigami."

Sakura just looked at her before sliding her eyes back to Genryuusai.

"Alright, what do you want them to see?"

"Draw your blade."

"Hai," Reaching up, she pulled a red-hilted sword from behind her, the length of which was hidden in her mass of pink hair. She swung it forward until the tip nearly touched the ground. It was a well cared for weapon, simple in its design with the exception of the metal guard, which was a pearl shaded cherry blossom.

"Execute Shikai."

She nodded.

" Fists Full of Rage! Eyes of Gentle Death! Where one flies, another looks on! Saiai(beloved), Jyuukin no Nejimaru (Neji's Gentle Fist)!" A blinding glow burst forth from the hilt. She brought her hand up, dragging it across the blade and the glow followed it. At the end of the blade, she fisted her hand over the razor-edged blade and gave a sharp tug making a few of the captains mentally wince; but whereas blood should be gathering, another sword hilt appeared in her hand. Still pulling, she didn't stop until she was holding twin blades at her sides, giving her an intimidating appearance.

The captains all stared at her. There had been no more than two individuals in all of Soul Society's long history to have twin swords. It was considered impossible for anyone to ever achieve such a thing and yet there before them, stood a woman with a sword in each hand as if the term impossible were not even known to her.

The incredibly rare nature of her weapon almost overshadowed the even stranger aspect of her weapons appearance. The blades were the perfect length for someone of her slight stature. Each blade housed a narrow slit that ran three quarters of the steels' length before stopping an 1 ½ from a segmented cherry blossom design that cut strait through the metal so that whenever the blade moved, one could see through both openings. But, even though this was odd in itself, it was not outside the average strangeness of standard zanpak-to design. No, the oddness came almost entirely from one thing. The flat of the blade was a shining bloody red. With the pearlescent guard and red hilt, it was one of the most beautiful swords in all of Soul Society, rivaling Rukia's Sode no Shirayuki.

Not commenting on the nature of her swords, the captain general gave another command.

"Show them an attack."

She didn't even acknowledge him before vanishing from sight, an eerie whistle sounding in her wake.

The whisper of steel gently kissing steel alerted them to Ukitake again, where both red blades were crossed before his neck. The captains reached for their weapons as one. Ukitake though, waved their alarm away with a hand. He knew what she was doing.

"It's alright. Don't worry." An expert shunpo later and he was out of her embrace and several yards away, his own swords in hand. She came up close and personal, weapons flashing in the light as they met with his in a noisy clash. They fought for ground before she flipped away, facing away from him as she brought one sword above her head and held the other out in front of her, both blades parallel with each other.

"First assault: Rapid Step." She turned out of sight and into sight so fast, she flickered. As they watched her, the air around them shifted, gathering in a fierce narrow column around her; the column of wind tightened further around her as bursts of reiatsu flashed like lightning around it. A sound like a thousand running steps was heard as multiple arcs of lightning reiastu skittered out and at Ukitake. He blocked the almost insanely fast attacks but the flares managed to push him back several yards before he could dig his feet into the ground to stop his slide. A few heads nodded approval. Genryuusai grunted his approval.

"Another."

Inside the column of air and light, Sakura stopped dead, tips of the blades touching as she held one high and held one low. She kept her feet shoulder width apart. Ukitake watched her carefully as he knew what was coming.

"Second Assault," And once again to the captains' surprise, kidou gathered at the meeting point of her swords, spreading out along their razor edges. "Severed Face." And the swords slipped apart, kidou following the motion, growing past the end of their arc racing high and rushing fast toward the stationary Ukitake. He lit up his blades with his own reiatsu in the hopes to at least partially block the attack which flared as it met him. He had to side step to avoid that which he could not block. Opposite him, Sakura was fixing to launch a final attack.

"Third Assault,"

"Enough."

Everyone looked at the captain general, confused. He called to Sakura,

"Show them your Bankai."

"Hai"


	3. Resolute Protector, Batei no Nejimaru

Here's chapter three, it was a bit more challenging to write but I'm kinda pleased with it. This story is getting a little longer every day and I hope everybody likes it okay. Please enjoy this next update and chapter four should be out soon too. I'm writing it right now.

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Chapter Three

"Enough."

Everyone looked at the captain general, confused. He called to Sakura,

"Show them your Bankai."

"Hai"

She relaxed, slouching back until she looked like a ronin, swords held at her sides. She gestured to Ukitake to move away and he conceded, flash stepping back to Shunsui's side. All the captains, including Byakuya, watched her. Moving from one foot to another, she swayed in place, moving her blades in a slow dance up, down, up, down, left right, again, fast, faster…faster. The whistling sound they heard earlier began again as she sped up her dance and slowly the captains realized that the sound was coming from the swords as air moved through the slits and openings in the metal. The sound was strangely hypnotic and it was Unohana who noted that maybe the sound indeed was meant to be hypnotizing.

The sound rose and fell, like a lost memory of a favorite lullaby, and Sakura continued moving. The sound was reaching its crescendo when suddenly, she stopped, swords held out at opposite directions and she spoke.

"Bankai"

The wind around her picked up, sending her hair into a flurry of movement. Kidou flashed around her, sparking and burning the air, and her zanpak-to glowed a fiery red. Grey fog billowed up, blocking the captains' view as her weapon transformed. They felt the reiatsu build, like a great heavy blanket thrown over their faces and they all felt impressed by her strength.

When the smoke cleared, they saw her standing on a pillar of earth in the middle of a small crater. Her outfit had changed, she was wearing a fitted red top and a long pleated black skirt that fell to her feet. The absence of sleeves revealed a set of white and black arm guards and a set of dark maroon gloves.

"Yuubou, Batei no Nejimaru (Resolute Protector, Neji's Steadying Hand)"

In her hands were her swords; and both were chained to her wrists by lengths of ivory steel. She rattled the chains experimentally, then tested their strength. She nodded her approval and turned to the captains.

They watched her with baited breath as she smiled at them glanced at the old man. She held up the swords and rattled the chains again.

"Now what?"

Genryuusai didn't even blink.

"Someone challenge her."

Soi Fon stepped up but an unexpected voice stopped her cold.

"I will do it."


	4. Scatter, SenbonZakura Kageyoshi

Byakuya strode out of line and to the rim of the crater. He settled his steady, unreadable gaze on her; she nodded at him.

"Acceptable." Genryuusai said and gestured the captains to step back and they all moved to the edge of the hill.

Sakura moved into a defensive stance, crouching with blades held parallel in front of her.

What's your name?" She asked, watching him.

"Kuchiki Byakuya" her eyes widened a little.

"So you're Byakuya-sama. I heard about you during the Ryoka invasion. You fought Ichigo." Byakuya's attention increased two fold.

"You know Kurosaki"

"Not well" she said with a shrug. "I met him out in Rukongai. We talked and then he had to go somewhere. He was nice. I heard later that you and he had fought. Who won?" It was almost comical how she didn't even consider the fact that she was talking to the man she was supposed to be fighting. It was like, in the bigger scheme of things, it didn't matter.

"That is none of your concern"

She grinned.

"You lost didn't you?"

He was gone from sight and she blocked his sword as it reached the material on her back. She laughed.

"Oh yeah, that's an 'I-lost-and-I'm-still-pissed-about-it' reaction if I ever saw one." She leapt away, leaving him in the middle of the crater. With the curling of her fingers she beckoned to him. "Come on. I wanna see what you can do."

"Arrogant girl; I will teach you the difference between you and I."He frowned at her and held up his sword before letting go of the hilt, letting it drop.

"Bankai"

Sakura watched with interest, she hadn't seen anyone else's Bankai yet and it was a source of intense curiosity for her.

The sword floated gently to the ground and the tip, which should have struck the dirt, created a ripple in the space like it was water and sunk 'below' it until it was completely gone. The world went black around them and rising fresh from the ground, row after row after row of white swords creating near endless walls of death. Byakuya released a sword whose blade exploded into a thousand 'cherry blossom petals' which acted like a signal for the rest of them and suddenly the air was filled with pink flickering blades.

"Chire, Senbonzakura Kageyoshi" Byakuya's voice echoed ominously through the air, sending a chill through the animals in the area just like the voice of a predator should.

"Pretty!" Well, at least she wasn't scared. She watched the petals with excitement as they drew closer and at the moment when all the captains thought she was going to be nothing but a memory and a puddle of blood, she was gone and standing just behind Byakuya with one of her swords at his neck and the other sheath across her back. The bladeless hand was holding one of his minute blades. He turned his head to see her, eyes wide and alarmed. She didn't look like she noticed. She was examining the object in her hand.

"This is so interesting! All these little pink things are actually little shaped razors! Your ability must be that you can control their flight to fillet your opponents!" She rubbed her thumb against one side and the edge caught on the material of her gloves; it quivered in her hand and she let go. It flew at her face and she tilted her head out of the way. She laughed.

"That's amazing!" She chirped and he snarled at her.

"Take this seriously girl!"The petals rushed her and she flipped backwards and her still empty hand supporting her when her legs were in the air, the other still gripping a sword. While her legs were above her and she was still in motion she swept her sword through the air, chain rattling behind.

Symbols inside three great rings glowed under her in a two yard radius, stopping Byakuya's attack and even sending the aftershock back at him. He blocked it and they stopped as she righted herself. The markings faded and they watched each other. The laughter was gone from her face now, both hands occupied again with her weapons; she flung both swords at him.

He had to move fast to avoid both of them and when they missed she called them back by tugging on the chains, only to throw them harder when they were back in her hands. This rapid succession of attacks kept him moving, mindful that if she kept targeting him like this it would keep him from effectively using his Bankai.

He couldn't help but admire her speed and ruthlessness once she got serious.

"Byakuya," He looked up at her use of his name. She had both blades with her again. She gave him a smile that was filled with new found respect for him. "Shall we continue? This has been fun; but I would rather talk with you than try and skewer you."

He studied her a moment.

"A final attack. Give me your best."

She grinned.

"I like you! Alright! Let's do this!" Her reiatsu exploded outward and sent lightning kidou skittering out around her. She let go of her weapons and they hung suspended in the air as she fisted her hands; the swords glowed red and slid back until they were parallel with her arms. When she crouched into a fighting stance, fists up in front of her, the swords mimicked the position.

"Final Confrontation: Razor Striking Fist" And she kicked off the ground, flying at him.

"White Imperial Sword" All the swords condensed into one shining white blade; wings of reiatsu grew out behind him and a large halo of energy shone behind him as well. Leaning forward, he burst into motion and raced to meet Sakura's final attack.

It was beautiful and macabre, two unique powers that could easily spell the death of weaker beings meeting in a shimmering explosion of red, pink and white, the captains were enthralled by the display and the captain general thought to himself that to pair those two up in battle against an enemy would be the most capable attack combination since Ukitake and Shunsui.

The explosion of power sent up a great cloud of dust that blocked everyone's view for several moments and everyone watched it until it cleared to see the result.

Locked in the aftermath of their final clash, Sakura held the blade of Senbonzakura in her hand just a breath away from her abdomen while Byakuya held one of her blades a few inches from his side. They looked at each other for a long moment.

"Well, who seconds the motion for making Haruno Sakura the next captain of Ninth Division?"

Jolted out of there staring contest, they both looked over to see the majority of the captains' nod in her favor. Genryuusai banged his staff on the ground.

"Then it is decided. Haruno Sakura is the taichou of Ninth Division."


	5. Ill Mannered Bastards, Hajimemashite

Rosette Taichou Chapter Five

A few days later after the battle on the execution hill, Sakura was formally introduced to her squad as their new captain. Her new fukutaichou Shuuhei had bowed, stated his name and rank, and was promptly asked if he wanted to go drinking later by his new captain. He gave in, and so did the rest of the division, after they heard who she had fought with.

She had also received her captain's jacket the day before, with the number nine on the back and a deep red lining on its underside, the seamstress said, to offset her hair and eyes. And even though her shihakusho was sleeveless, her new coat was not; it had sleeves that fell just a few inches short of her wrists. She loved her new coat but was temporarily at a loss as to how she would now carry her sword, but after seeing the tenth's captain, who in all honesty she just wanted to pick up and hug the grumpy little guy, she decided she could carry it in a similar way; so now her sword hung slanted at her back still mostly hidden behind her mass of hair and she was satisfied.

She had not seen Byakuya since their duel and wondered if he was sore at her; she wanted to talk with Sixth's captain, she thought he was interesting if not a bit high strung. She mentioned it to Ukitake once and the man said that the best way to find Byakuya was to use Eleventh Division's fukutaichou, Kusajishi Yachiru. Yachiru, the white haired man claimed, seemed to have a nose for the head of the Kuchiki family and had never failed to track him down. He then gave her directions to Eleventh Division, and when asked why he was trying not to laugh so hard, he said he didn't know what she was talking about. All in all, Ukitake was getting a personality that was too close to Shunsui's for his taste.

* * *

"Oi, where's the office around here?" Sakura had arrived at the front door of Eleventh Division, which was wide open and displaying a large variety of scarred and ugly mugs that were either in various stages of inebriation or fighting each other, with whatever they had on hand. Some turned to look at her but most of them just stayed doing what they were doing. Those that looked just went back to their business when they saw a woman. She heard a lewd comment somewhere in the back of the mess. She didn't like these guy's attitude and made it known.

"IS THIS HOW YOU PUNKS GREET A SUPERIOR!??" She charged in and kicked two of them out of her way before grabbing another by the neck of his robes. "I ASKED WHERE THE DAMN OFFICE WAS AND I EXPECT A FUCKING ANSWER!!" The guy in her hands almost quelled under her but he was still an Eleventh Division guy and this was a girl and he tried to intimidate her.

"Get out of my face, you pansy ass little girl! Who do you think we are?" She gave him a murderous look and lifted him off his feet.

"Who the hell are you calling a pansy ass little girl? I am a fucking TAICHOU you retard!" She flung him into a crowd of men who fell like bowling pins under his weight. The rest of the division got to their feet, drawing their zanpak-to, and circled her. She stood in their midst like an angry flower, tiny and cute to their unattractive and tall forms. She snorted at them, not impressed. "So you think you can take me? Let's see you try."

They attacked and it was like a massacre. Their weapons flashed in the light and she swung her fists, jumping and kicking and lashing out like a mini hurricane of violence. Men flew through the air only to collide with the barrack walls, drooping down to unconsciousness. It was this scene that Zaraki, Ikkaku and Yumichika walked in on when the noise got too loud.

"The hell," Ikkaku said, watching the bodies fly out of the dust cloud. He squinted into the haze. "Who's in there?"

"Maybe a new recruit" Yumichika said, moving a little to his left as a streak of blood passed him. "They do like to put on a show when they arrive."

Zaraki watched the dust, waiting for it to settle and after a bit he heard a voice shouting around in obvious irritation.

"Now I want to know where I can find the office! Fucking pansy my ass! You bums are a thousand years too slow to ever mess with me! NOW TELL ME WHERE THE DAMN OFFICE IS!! I have business here!"

It was both a surprise and a shock to see a petite woman standing on top of a pile of shinigami, holding a bleeding one by the lapel and shaking him until he whimpered, yelling at him. What was the shock was that it was a TAICHOU; the new taichou. Zaraki whistled, impressed with her; Ikkaku and Yumichika looked at him, eyebrows high.

"That's pretty good Sakura; ya managed to take some of my men all at once." She looked up, surprised and happy to see the Eleventh taichou. She dropped the man she was holding and stepped off the pile of bodies.

"Zaraki-taichou, I've been looking for you. What do you mean some of them? I thought that was you r entire division?"

"Che," he responded, nodding at the mess. "There's not enough of them that I can see to be everybody." She blinked in understanding before looking back at the waist high pile.

"OI" the pile flinched as one; a few managed to look at her. "MOVE YOUR ASSES!!"

Slowly, they dragged themselves away, taking their unconscious comrades with them until all that was left was a deep crater in the ground, roughly eight feet in radius. Zaraki and his seated officers ogled her damage.

"That's everyone right?"

"Damn girlie," Ikkaku stated, admiring her work. "You do some nice work."

She glared at him.

"That's Haruno-taichou to you."

He grinned and waved her look away.

"Hai, hai Haruno-taichou; no harm meant."

Yumichika looked at her, chewing at a nail and frowning.

"She's so beautiful," he mumbled to himself and she blinked at him.

She looked at Zaraki, pointing to Yumichika.

"What's his problem?"

"Just ignore him," Zaraki said, not even looking at his fifth. He kept his stare down on her. "You said you had business here; what'd you need?"

"I need to see Kusajishi-fukutaichou; where is she?"

All three of them stared at her like she'd grown another head.

"Why the hell do you need to see Yachiru? You SWA or somethin'?" Ikkaku asked her, eyes wide.

"Not yet, my first meeting is next week. No, I was told she was the best for finding Kuchiki-taichou. Isn't she?"

Ikkaku started laughing and Zaraki chuckled to himself.

"Who told you that?" Zaraki asked her.

"Ukitake-taichou" she was confused. Had she made a mistake?

"I see" the huge battle oriented taichou said before looking over his shoulder and shouting down the hallway. "Oi Yachiru! You've got a visitor!"


	6. Pink Monsters, GakiDesu!

It was a tranquil day in the main offices of the Sixth Division and Kuchiki Byakuya, the Sixth's Captain, was enjoying a quiet afternoon with a soothing cup of jasmine tea. Yes, things were quite lovely, thank you very much, and Byakuya savored the uninterrupted bliss. Then someone was making a lot of fuss in the hallway leading to his door, following a chipper and all too dreaded little girls' voice.

"Bya-chan! Bya-chan! The pretty lady wants to see you!!" He heard a crash and watched as his door shook on it's sliders before a petite woman with green eyes and pink hair opened it, holding a little bundle with another head of pink hair. The Ninth Division's Captain Haruno was panting a little as she bowed to him and kept a firm grip on the borrowed fuku-taichou. He didn't twitch or shift at this intrusion, but silently cried for his lost peace. Oh Hisana, give him solitude.

"Kuchiki-san, I've been looking for you!" Sakura said, pulling a candy from a sleeve and popping it into the little girl's mouth. "Ukitake-san said that I'd find you if I had Kusajishi's help."

Yachiru waved; Byakuya sighed and cursed the white haired captain.

"And lo and behold he was right; I'll have to give him a present next time I see him." She settled herself across from him, smiling at him as she swept her hair back from her face. He noticed that her eyes were wide and young like Yachiru's, keeping an almost almond shape and whose only difference was the coloring; Yachiru having brown eyes and Sakura having the green of young grass. Their hair also, was a curious thing, being the only set of pink he'd ever seen on a soul in his entire existence, which was a long, long time. He theorized to himself but said nothing on it. Instead he leveled Sakura with his chilliest gaze. She shifted but kept near oblivious.

"Did it just get colder in here?" She rubbed her arms a little.

"I do not believe so." Byakuya set his tea down and waved a hand at the pot. "Would you like some, Haruno-san?"

She nodded, smiling gaily, and he poured her a cup, his manners never abandoned even as he wished painful death on his intruders. She accepted the cup and inhaled the aroma. She sighed happily.

"Jasmine; a wonderful blend," She gave him a small bow of thanks and took a sip, savoring it. "You would have the best wouldn't you Byakuya-san." He resisted blinking. Did she just…?

Yachiru was at his side, pulling his sleeve and calling his name.

"Bya-chan, Bya-chan, the pretty lady is the new Ninth's taichou! She also said she has a never ending supply of candy and that she'll share with me whenever I help her find you and Whitey-taichou says I'm the best at finding you but I don't know why no one else can find you because you're not hiding or nothin', you're always easy to find since you smell just like sweet buns," it was at this point that Byakuya stuffed a sweet bun in her mouth to silence her. Her voice now silenced, her attention shifted to munching happily on the new sweet. Sakura stared at them both in amazement. She broke out into laughter.

"Oh my god, so THAT'S why she likes you so much!" She shook with mirth and the tea swished around the cup, barely staying in. Byakuya watched her reaction, giving nothing away as he waited for her to stop. "Oh Kakashi give me strength!"

It was out of him before he could stop it.

"Kakashi?"

She stopped shaking and nodded to him.

"Kakashi was my sensei in the material world. He taught me some things about survival when I was young. He had a sense of smell that's just like Yachiru's and if I'm not mistaken," she leaned forward slightly in her seat and sniffed. He started in affront, "You _do_ smell just like sweet buns."

"I do not" He said, sounding mulish. He didn't know why he was dignifying her with comment.

She smiled widely at him.

"Yeah, you do." She sat down her cup and smirked. "I really don't need a super human sense of smell to tell. It's coming off of you like cologne. What, do you carry some with you, like Shunsui-san carries his sake? Wouldn't have pegged you as one to have a dependency on something like that."

"I do not," he said frigidly, trying to stare her down. "have a _dependency_ on _sweet buns_."

She nodded, not like she believed him.

"Uh huh, so it _is_ a cologne?"

Before Byakuya had a chance to give a scathing reply that he had no doubt would put the woman in her place, Yachiru finished the last of her sweet bun and answered, galling him.

"Bya-chan always has some in his sleeve pockets! Whenever I come to play with him, he has one ready for me! He's always good about sharing and Ken-chan always says to share because if I don't then no one would play with me when I wanna practice my sword fighting. But sometimes they run and Ken-chan just says that's part of the game and that it keeps me up to speed; it must be true because I'm the fastest in my division!"

Sakura was sniggering into her hands, trying not to upset the high strung captain any more than Yachiru had just done; he looked about ready to kill the both of them. She felt the murderous intent rolling off of him in waves and she grabbed the small fukutaichou and flash stepped to the doorway before Byakuya could do something regretful (he wouldn't regret) and bloody (oh it _would be_ he swore) to the girl. Sakura bowed to him, giving him a smile that was eerily similar to a certain millennia's old white haired taichou.

"Well, it's been great Byakuya-san. I hope we can do it again sometime. I shall visit again in a few days if it's no trouble!"

He didn't have time to tell her his huge resounding NO, since she had already shunpoed away the instant she finished talking. He watched as the dust settled in her wake and his shoulders sagged almost dejectedly; he sat back and nearly hung his head. There, he _knew_, would be _no peace_ now. The little pink haired monstrosity had a new playmate in tormenting him: the bigger pink haired monstrosity.

He reflected on his interaction with her and felt puzzled with himself. What had made him reply to her questions and statements the way he did? He was always calm and collected, even in the face of danger, nothing ruffled him, with the exception of the ryoko boy Kurosaki Ichigo. What about the new taichou got so under his skin he couldn't help but lose his cool?

He looked at the cup she had used, made note of the pale rose color of lip tint on the rim. It was a subtle color that blended seamlessly with her skin tone to look natural. Though her natural coloring was brilliant and outrageous, her personal sense of style was discreet and understated, selected to enhance but not overwhelm. He wondered if it was something that carried through to her personality in some way. He found himself curious to see it.

Inhaling deeply, he poured himself another cup of tea and settled back into his relaxing solitude. He had one last thought before his mind went peacefully quiet.

'Is she going to call me by my name all the time now?'


	7. Paperwork, Yare Yare

"Now I understand that there's some paperwork I need to look at?"

"Yes ma'am. Budget and subordinate reviews and complaints."

"Can't you do it?"

"It's _your_ job ma'am."

"Please,"

"No,"

"Pretty please,"

"No,"

"Do it or I'll sic Kurotsuchi on you."

"Like I said, my pleasure ma'am."

Shuuhei went to his desk with the paper stack in his arms and set to work filling them out. He didn't actually think she could get Kurotsuchi to do anything but there was still enough doubt about it to make him do her bidding. Sakura turned another page in her book, reading a novel Ukitake had loaned her, and laughed.

It had been four months now since she had made captain and she was now settled into her role. The troops had met her and accepted her without too much complaint, especially after she had told them about the ruckus at 11th division and how she was at the center of it. Shuuhei had taken to her as well, after he got over that monstrous hangover from drinking with her on her first day on the job. He now had the pleasure of doing most of her paperwork. It was, he supposed, better than when he worked under Kaname who, being blind, couldn't do paperwork _at all_, and generally left it to Shuuhei to fill out and sign.

"Hey Shuuhei,"

"Hm?"

"What do you know about Kuchiki-taichou?"

He turned in his seat to look over his shoulder at her, eyebrows raised a little in surprise.

"Not much, just what anyone else knows I guess. Why?"

She stared at something she had on her desk just out of his eye sight, pushing it around with her fingers. Her hair was pouring over her shoulders and back, her sword leaning against her desk in easy reach. She smiled an impish smile, looking up at him from beneath her eyelashes.

"No reason." She stood up, grabbing her sword to head out of the office.

"Going somewhere?" He asked idly. He stood up to go with her.

"Maybe. Did you finish the paperwork?"

He paused and slowly lowered himself back into his seat wondering what she could threaten him with now.

"No…"

"You can find me later. Finish up here."

He picked up his writing utensil.

"Where can I find you when I'm done?" She looked at him thoughtfully. She grinned.

"You'll just have to find out won't you?"

"what?"

But she had shunpo'ed and was gone before he finished.

***

Yay! I've been gone for more than a year and I apologize profusely for it. I was stumped for the longest time on how to continue this. I have all of these images floating in my mind that I want to write down but I wasn't sure about the order or anything. But here I am!

This chapter is way short but it's just to set up the next chapter. After so long I fear I've become rusty. Well, no matter, the next chapter should be fun. And after that, I think it will become a series of one shots to cover all the ideas I had. There is no true plot yet and if you want to suggest something, feel free to. I'd like to hear what you think. Until I decide on a plot I'll just write this to amuse us all.

Also, I'm so very glad so many of you like this story! I wasn't sure if it would receive positive reception but I'm very happy that it wasn't received badly. ^_^ I'm happy you're happy with it. Next chapter I'll thank everyone who reviewed properly!


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